Devices which rely on an electrochromic switch mechanism, i.e. reversible color change in the presence of an applied electric field or current, have gained commercial importance. Viologens are one of the most commonly used electrochromic materials in such devices. Although viologen derivatives commonly used in electrochromic devices are known to provide intense colored radical states, variations in the local environment, such as reduced temperature or a change in solubility of the viologen derivatives, can result in an uncontrolled changes in the colored radical state. This is believed to be caused by intermolecular interactions of the viologen derivatives, commonly referred to as dimerization of the viologen. (See Yasuda et al., “Electrochromic Properties of Alkylviologen-cyclodextrin System,” J. Appl. Electrochem. 17 (1987) 567-573; Yasuda et al., “Electrochemical Behavior of Alkylviologen-cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes. The Case of Non-alkyl Group Substituted Viologen,” J. Appl. Electrochem. 18 (1988) 333-338; Lee et al., “γ-Cyclodextrin-Enhanced Dimerization of Viologen Radicals,” J. Inclusion Phenomena and Molec. Recognition in Chem., 26 (1996) 219-232).